A regional approach to public safety that’s decades in the making

When a fire or police emergency occurs, a call to 911 is made and aid is quickly rendered. It is what happens behind the scenes before that call is made that makes all the difference. The ability to provide quality public safety services requires extensive planning and training, as well as a substantial financial commitment.  

78 years ago, a rare and forward-thinking fire services agreement was entered into between the Charter Township of Union (Union Township) and the Mt. Pleasant Fire Department (MPFD). 

This partnership focusing on economic viability and tendering of responsive fire services has served both communities well throughout the decades. 

As a result, in Summer 2025, a similar agreement for policing services between the Village of Lake Isabella (Lake Isabella) and the Mt. Pleasant Police Department (MPPD) went into effect.  

Union Township and Mt. Pleasant Fire Department Fire Services Agreement 

In 1948, the first fire services agreement between Union Township and the MPFD was penned, and Union Township voters approved (374 – 69) the purchase of an $18,000 Mack fire truck to be used by the MPFD for firefighting within Union Township and the City of Mt. Pleasant. At the time, very few communities had established such agreements. 

The parameters of today’s partnership include: 

• The MPFD Fire Chief serves as Union Township’s Fire Chief and Fire Code Official. 
• The MPFD provides Union Township with the same fire suppression services as they do  for the City. 
• MPFD engages in fire inspection services for newly built commercial buildings which  involve:
  • Site plan reviews.
  • Submittal of fire protection system plans. 
  • Sprinkler system inspections. 
  • Fire alarm system inspections. 
  • Kitchen hood inspections.
• Union Township annually pays the City of Mt. Pleasant for fire suppression and new  commercial construction review services. To cover these expenses, Union Township  voters renewed a ten-year $2.25 mill fire services millage in November 2018.  
• Union Township provides a fire truck to be used, serviced, and housed by the MPFD.  

According to historical research conducted by Union Township’s community and economic development director, Rodney Nanney, that Mack truck purchased in 1949 by Union Township under the fire services agreement, included a 1,000-gallon auxiliary water storage tank with 750-gallon capacity pumps. The apparatus was designed specifically for handling fires away from city hydrant water supplies.  

Delivered in 1949, this fire truck had some initial housing challenges. First, it was too long to be housed in the city’s fire barn located on Main Street in downtown Mt. Pleasant, so fire officials found an alternative downtown storage option at the John F. Battle garage on East Broadway  Street. 

However, the 15-ton truck was too heavy for the reinforced concrete floor and the back end of the truck fell into the garage’s basement. Volunteer firefighters and local oil company employees worked through the night to jack up the truck and pull it clear. Luckily, there was only minimal damage to the truck, and it was immediately placed back into service. 

The truck was then housed in the city’s barn north of Pickard until it relocated to the “new”  municipal building located at University and Michigan Street in 1950.  

Later trucks purchased by Union Township in 1976, 1999, and 2020 did not suffer such housing challenges. In fact, the 1999 vehicle found a new home when the Isabella Northeast Fire District purchased it from Union Township in 2020. 

“This specific truck repurposing and the longevity of the fire services agreement,” Nanney states, “is a testament to the financial acumen of our two communities. Providing fire services is an expensive venture and Union Township and the City should be applauded for sharing these valuable resources for close to 80 years.” 

As always, when the time comes to purchase a new fire truck, Union Township manager, Mark Stuhldreher, affirmed the township is heavily involved in the process, while relying on recommendations from city fire professionals. 

“I have had strong working relationships with the Mt. Pleasant fire chiefs throughout the years and am confident in their professional skills and judgement,” says Stuhldreher. “In addition to the steady communication received from the MPFD, our township resident citizen surveys have always given high marks to the fire services provided. This is a solid agreement offering an economical, yet stellar service.” 

Mt. Pleasant fire chief, Doug Lobsinger, added, “With Union Township surrounding the City of Mt. Pleasant, a fire services agreement provides efficiencies to both residents and fire personnel. Union Township’s call volume remains steady at 38-40% of total calls received per year.” 

Call types include but are not limited to fires, EMS medical and rescue runs, hazardous conditions abatement, as well as general service calls (smell of smoke, removing water from streets, animal nuisance complaints, and others). 

“The MPFD not only fights fires,” Lobsinger emphasizes, “but we also respond to auto accidents and serve as medical first responders dealing with everything from basic first aid to trauma/life threatening situations.” 

Stuhldreher and Lobsinger both agreed that carrying out this long-running fire services agreement is an honor. As they stressed, sharing resources and expertise guarantees that when an alarm sounds, township and city residents are well protected.

Village of Lake Isabella Enters Police Services Agreement with the Mt. Pleasant Police Department 

In November 2024 Isabella County’s public safety millage failed, resulting in the loss of Isabella County Sheriff’s Office road patrol. This directly impacted the Village of Lake Isabella. 

When faced with no future dedicated road patrol coverage, Lake Isabella officials contacted the MPPD regarding the need for such services. Discussions led to a Police Services Agreement which was finalized in the Summer of 2025.  

The agreement involves Lake Isabella compensating the MPPD on an hourly basis for payroll expenses, administrative duties, and equipment costs. Services provided by the MPPD include:

• Patrol services for residential and commercial areas, parks, and other public areas.
• Traffic enforcement. 
• Criminal investigation and crime scene processing. 
• Reported crime follow-up communication. 
• Special event traffic patrol. 

The implementation of this agreement has been seamless and the MPPD said they are happy to assist their Lake Isabella neighbors.  

When asked about the agreement and his experience working with the MPPD to date, Tim Wolff, Village of Lake Isabella manager shares, “Our community is fortunate to have this opportunity to partner with the outstanding men and women of the Mt. Pleasant Police Department to fill this critical police availability gap.”

“The Mt. Pleasant Police Department’s professionalism, culture, and commitment to service are a real asset—and should certainly be a point of pride for Mt. Pleasant residents. We are genuinely grateful to the Mt. Pleasant City Commission,” Wolff adds, ”for being open to an outside-the-box approach that benefits both of our communities. We feel lucky to have this relationship with the city, and we are looking forward to continuing our partnership.”